Anode and carrier therefor



Patented. Dec. 25, 1923.

UNITED STATES Hanny L. 11ans, or NEW roux, N, Y.

.ANODE AND CARRIER THE'BEFOB.

`Application med September 17, 1920. Serial No. 411,023.

To whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY L. HAAS, a

'citizen of the 'United States, and a resident tit-.the borough and county of" Queens, in

,deposition of especiallythe city 4and rState of New York,h'av'e invented certain new and useful Improve-y ments in Anodes and Carriers Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention' relates to the electrometals or electro-plating in which an anode of the metal to be deposited is connected in circuit with the positive poleofan electric circuit and the article upon which the metal is to be deposited, to constitute the cathode, is connected in kcircuit with the negative pole of such electric circuit, and both the anode and the cathode suspended in a suitable solution of a metallic salt, commonly termed the depositing solution. It is essential in the eiicient electrodepositing of metals that the anode, constituting the metal to be deposited, shall have a surface as great, and preferably greater, than the area of the surface of the ycathode or article upon which the metal is to be deposited, yand this is true in nickel plating, in order tosupply the kbath or solution with as much of the metal as is deposited upon the Work,

otherwise certain component parts of the solution will be taken up by the cathode and the solution made lean or weak of such elements and enriched by other elements of the solution which is detrimental to the eiiicient electro-plating of articles, and necessitating the addition to the bath or solution of suchelements which' are taken up in excess by the cathode `from the solution. Furthermore, by the use of an anode having a large surface' there is less resistance to the electric current and an electric current of low voltage ma beused with a more rapid deposition o the metal of the anode. To overcome the above disadvantage and provided an anodehaving a large surface the anode has been made of -various forms and shapes, as 'by making the anode in the form of a platek and ycorrugating the opposite faces thereof, or arranging the anode in the form of a plurality of prongs.

Various methods have been employed for -suspending the anode in the solution in circuit with the positive pole of an electric conductor, as by passing a hooked rod of metal, such as copper, through an Yopeni ing solution by the dissolving of the metal of the rod. To overcome this disadvantage y Vof suspending the anode by rods of metal diii'erent from the anode the anode was provided Vwith hooks of the same material as the anode cast integral therewith or welded thereto. However, as decomposition ofthe anode by electrolyticv action takes place at the terminus .of the anode this neceitates the waste ofthatportion of the metal of the anode constituting the hooks and the adjacent portion thereof.

It is the object of the invention to overcome the foregoing` disadvantages by providing an improved anode having an increased anodesurface and anl improved manner ofv suspending the anode in the solution, whereby the entire anode surface lwill be immersed, in the solution, and the dissolvin or dissipation of the metal of the ano e will be substantially equalized from the whole surface of the anode, thereb y maintaining the solution o f constant' richness of metal.

it is a, further object of the invention to provide an anode unit consisting of a series of elements, and to provide a carrier which is a. good conductor of electricity and immune from attack by the electrolytic action of the solution or bath for releasably 'supporting the elements of the anode unit in series. a

In the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview showing in a diagrammatic manner an arrangement of an electrolating plant with an embodiment of my invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective 'view showing the improved anode unit and means forsuspending the same in the solution.

Figure 3 is a side elevation ofa portion of a modified form of anode support.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a further modification of the anode support.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of an anode support in accordance with my invention and Figure 6 is a modified form of anode.

In carrying out the invention I provide exsY the metal to be deposited is suspende upon the surface of the cat a suitable tank 5 to carry'a solution of a metallic salt the composition of which may varyin accordance with the metal to be deposited, in which an article o r articles, shown in a general way at 6, which constitute a cathode or electrode, the surface of which is to be covered, are suspended from. a rod 7 and connected by said rod 1n circuit with the negative pole of asuitable source ofelectricity, shown at D 1n a diagrammatic manner as a shunt wounddynamo. The anode or electrode conslstln of 1n the solution from and connected by rods v7 in circuit with the positive pole of the dynamo. c e

To assure the efficient de ositing of metal iiodeor article to be plated or covered, it is essential that the anode or metal to be deposited shall have a surface as great, if not greater, than the surface of the article to be covered and whereby the electrolytic decomposition 'of the anode will be facilitated. For this purpose I provide an anode unit consisting of a series of members in the form of bars 8 shown of circular shape in cross section, although they may be of any other cross sectional form.

To support the anode unit in separated relation immersed in the solution in the tank 5 and connected in series in circuit with the positive pole of the dynamo through a supporting rod 7 a carrier for the anode unit 1s provided consisting of a metal which is a good conductor of electricity and which is immune from and will not be attacked b-y f Vthe solution and will'not be decomposed through the electrochemical action of the solution. It has been found that highly silicious iron, or iron containing a large quantity of silicon, such as duriron and tantiron, or nickel containing chromium, such as nichrome, will answer this purpose.

The embodiment of the form of this anode supporting carrier as shown in Figure 2 comprises a series of members 9, shown as two in number, arranged with a hooked end to engage over a rod 7. These bars 9 may be separately hung from the rod 7 or con nected in parallel relation by cross bars 10 as shown. The bars 9 are arranged withlateral projections 1l, which, as shown in Figure 2, form seats upon which the members of the anode unit are removably mounted. Furthermore, the hooked ends of the bars 9 are so arranged that as the anode is supported upon the seats 11 the center of gravity will come substantially in line with the axis of the supporting rod 7 thereby pre-A t venting the anode carrier from-assuming a position inclined to the support 7 and the anode members from falling off from the seats 11. Through the electrolytic action decomposition of the anode takes place at the guapas ends of the anode members, and to prevent the anode members from becoming unseated s from the seats 11 ofthe carrier the carrier bars 9 are placed relatively close together with the ends of the anode members projectvor lower end of the carrier takes place more quickly than at the top by the present ar- --rangement of anode and the manner ofsupporting the same the anode members adjacent the bottom ofthe carrier may be interv changed with the anode at the top. To fur- Y ther increase the anode surface the members 8 may have the cross sectional area at the ends increased by forming enlargements or knobs at the ends, these enlargements also serving to prevent the accidental displacement of the anode units from the carrier by kendwise movement thereof.

In Figure 3 there is shown a modified form of the anode carrier. In this form of the carrier the carrier members 9 with the anode supporting seats are bent up of wire. In the construction of the anode carrier bar shown in Figure 4 I have shown a modified form ofthe supporting hook arranged at the ends of said carrier bars, as well as a modified form of the anode supporting seat.

The tanks in which the solution in electroplating is carried are of varying depth, and to adapt the anode carrier to tanks of different depths these carriers may consist of releasably connected sections 14 to provide an anode carrier of the required length as shown in Figure 6. The sections of the anode` carrier may be connected in a suitable manner, and as shown in Figurey 6 consists of a bayonet joint, one section of the carrier being arranged with oppositely extending pins 15 to engage in opposite angular slots 16 in a socket 17 at the end of another section. It will be obvious that by this arrangement anode carriers of variable length and of any desired length may be produced.

I/Vhile I have shown and described an embodiment of carrying out my invention to provide a large anode surface to be subjected to the electrochemical action in the electrodepositing or plating of articles, and have provided an improved carrier for the anode to suspend the anode` immersed in the solution, and such carrier as consisting of a material different from the material of the anode and which is not attacked by the solution and therefore may be used repeatedly, as well as being a good conductor of electricity, it will be obvious that various modifications maybe resorted to and come within the scope of my invention.` f'

Having thus described my invention I claim: K

1. In an anode and carrier therefor for use rin the electrodeposition of metals, an

. ing the property of being a good electric lhaving integral laterall current conductor and immune from the electrolytic action of the bath.

2. In the electrodeposltion of metals, the

` combination with a solution of metallic salt and an electric current, of an anode, and means to suspend the anode in the solution and connect the same in circuit with the electric current, said means consisting of a metal which is different from the anode and immune from electrolytic action of the solution and being a good electric current conductor.

3. lAn anode and carrier therefor for use inJ the electrodeposition of metals consisting of a series of elements of the metal to be deposited, and a support upon which said elements aremounted in se arated relation and adapted to be connecte in circuit with an electric circuit through said carrier, said carrier being arranged with a body portion projectlng hook seats for the anode an constructed of a metal different from the anode and having the property of being a good electric current conductor and immune from electrolytic action. i

4. A support to sus end an anode in a solution in the electro eposition of metals,

consisting of a metal different from the anode which is immune from attack by the electrolytic action of the solution and a good conductor of electricity.

5. A support to suspend an anode in a solution in the electrodeposition of metals, comprising a series of parallel members arranged for arrangement of a support at one end and provided With integral and laterally projecting anode supporting hooks, said sup- 'port being constructed of a metal which is immune froml attack by the electrolytic action of the'solution and a good electric current conductor.

6. An anode carrier in the electrodeposition of metals consisting of a series of releasably connected sections each section being arranged with a laterally projecting anode supporting seat.

7 An anode carrier in the electrodeposition of metals consisting of a series of endwise releasably connected sections, one section arranged with a supporting hook and each section arranged with a laterally projecting Vanode supporting hook.

8. An anode for use in the electrodeposition of metals, comprising an elongated member of greater length than cross sectional area, and having the extremities thereof of enlarged globular form.

Signed at the city of New York in the county of New York and State of New York, this 29th day of July, 1920.

HARRY L. HAAS. 

